Dr. Navneet Kaur is the founder and CEO of Pfeiffer Genotyping, a company dedicated to providing top-notch genotyping services to expedite genetic gains in agriculture. Dr. Kaur earned her Ph.D. in Biotechnology & Molecular Biology from the University of Arkansas. Before establishing Pfeiffer Genotyping, she held the position of Molecular Genetics Lead at Driscoll's, where she spearheaded the Genetics department. During her tenure, she developed molecular markers, genomics resources, genotyping platforms, and implemented marker-assisted selection techniques for various berry crops.

With a wealth of experience spanning numerous years, Dr. Kaur is well-versed in applied breeding, genomics, molecular biology, gene editing, and biotechnology. She has worked with esteemed institutions such as USDA-ARS, the University of Illinois, and SAKATA Seed America. Her impressive portfolio includes over 30 research papers and patents, and she has been invited as a keynote speaker at scientific conferences worldwide.

Dr. Kaur's primary mission is to make a meaningful contribution to crop improvement and design in a sustainable way, fostering innovation in the agriculture industry. Her work addresses critical global challenges and plays a pivotal role in solving some of the world's most pressing issues.

Publications:

1. Wintermantel WM, Kaur N, Hunter W. 2021. RNAi strategies to control whitefly. US Patent #20200080105A1

2. Hasegawa DK, Chen W, Zheng Y, Kaur N, Wintermantel WM, Simmons AM, Fei Z, Ling KS. 2018. Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals networks of genes activated in the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci when fed on tomato plants infected with Tomato yellow leaf curl virus. Virology. 1; 513:52-64. 

3. Gundersen, D.E., Adrianos, S.L., Allen, M.L., Becnel, J.J., Chen, Y., Choi, M.Y., Estep, A., Evans, J.D., Garczynski, S.F., Geib, S.M., Ghosh, S.B., Handler, A.M., Hasegawa, D.K., Heerman, M.C., Hull, J.J., Hunter, W.B., Kaur, N., Li, J., Li, W., Ling, K., Nayduch, D., Oppert, B.S., Perera, O.P., Perkin, L.C., Sanscrainte, N.D., Sim, S.B., Sparks, M., Temeyer, K.B., Vander Meer, R.K., Wintermantel, W.M., James, R.R., Hackett, K.J., Coates, B.S. 2017. Arthropod genomics research in the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service: Applications of RNA interference and CRISPR gene editing technologies in pest control. Trends in Entomology. 13:109-137.

4. Kaur, N., Chen, W., Zheng, Y., Hasegawa, D.K., Ling, K., Fei, Z., Wintermantel, W.M. 2017. Transcriptome analysis of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 on tomato infected with the crinivirus, Tomato chlorosis virus, identifies a temporal shift in gene expression and differential regulation of novel orphan genes. BMC Genomics. 18:370. doi: 10.1186/s12864-017-3751-1.

5. Chen, W., Hasegawa, D.K., Kaur, N., Kliot, A., Pinheiro, P.V., Luan, J., Stensmyr, M.C., Zheng, Y., Liu, W., Sun, H., Xu, Y., Luo, Y., Kruse, A., Yang, X., Kontsedalov, S., Lebedev, G., Fisher, T., Nelson, D.R., Hunter, W.B., Brown, J.K., Jander, G., Cilia, M., Douglas, A.E., Ghanim, M., Simmons, A.M., Wintermantel, W.M., Ling, K., Fei, Z. 2016. The draft genome of whitefly Bemisia tabaci MEAM1, a global crop pest, provides novel insights into virus transmission, host adaptation, and insecticide resistance. BMC Biology. 14:110 DOI:10.1186/s12915-016-0321-Y.

6. Navneet Kaur, Daniel K. Hasegawa, Kai-Shu Ling, and William M. Wintermantel. 2016. Application of genomics for understanding plant virus-insect vector interactions and insect vector control. Phytopathology.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-02-16-0111-FI  (invited, special issue paper)

7. K Webb, W Wintermantel, N Kaur, J Prenni, C Broccardo, L Wolfe, L Hladky. 2015. Differential abundance of proteins in response to Beet necrotic yellow vein virus during compatible and incompatible interactions in sugar beet containing Rz1 or Rz2. Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology 91: 96-105

8. N Kaur and Murphy B. 2012. Enhanced isoflavone biosynthesis in transgenic cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) callus. Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology 3(1): 1-8

9. M Hunt*, N Kaur* (*joint first author), M Stromvik, L Vodkin. 2011. Transcript profiling reveals expression differences in wild-type and glabrous soybean lines. BMC Plant Biology 11:145 (Top viewed article) 

10. N Kaur, JS Dhiman, DS Khurana. 2011. Physiological and biochemical traits analysis of Capsicum annum L. germplasm for resistance to Colletotrichum capsici. Cell and Plant Sciences 2(3): 12-21 

11. Kaur N and Murphy B. 2010. Cloning, characterization, and functional analysis of cowpea isoflavone synthase homologs. Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology 1(1): 6-13 

12. Kaur N. 2009. Genetic Engineering of Cowpea to Enhance Isoflavone Biosynthesis. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Arkansas

13. Kaur N. 2004. Physico-chemical Evaluation of Pepper Germplasm For Resistance to Die Back/Fruit Rot Diseases. M.S. Thesis, Punjab Agricultural University, India